Positive Mischief #37 Josh Finkelstein (part 1)
Feb 24, 2026
Josh Finkelstein, a capture manager and strategist with roots in entertainment marketing, UX, and design, explains how he blends storytelling and creative thinking into government contracting. He talks about crafting narratives to mitigate risk, finding hidden talent inside large firms, translating creativity for military-style cultures, and simplifying technical ideas for nonexperts.
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Capture Management Is Creative Storytelling
- Capture management is like making key art: you assemble diverse pieces (typography, contractors, SMEs) into a cohesive proposal narrative.
- Josh frames bids as crafted stories that merge rough elements into a risk-mitigating, persuasive deal.
Two Audiences Shape Every Bid
- Winning bids require dual storytelling: persuade the government evaluators and convince your own firm it's worth pursuing.
- Josh balances external evaluation criteria with internal risk concerns so companies won't simply no-bid large opportunities.
Find Hidden Talent By Building Real Relationships
- Find the hidden talent inside large firms by investing time to peel the onion and build relationships.
- Josh advocates treating people like humans to turn transactional bid contacts into lasting professional connections.